If you are scheduled for an appointment at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, please arrive to the clinic 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment. Please bring the following information to your appointment:

Photo identification.

Something to verify your address, such as your driver’s license or a utility bill that has been postmarked within the last 30 days. If you cannot show that you live in Los Angeles County, you may not receive non-emergency services unless you have insurance coverage or are able to pay for your care in advance.

All medications that you are currently taking (prescription, over-the-counter, herbal, etc.) so your doctor can review them.

If you need to reschedule your appointment, please call at least 72 hours (3 days) in advance to cancel. For more information about how to prepare for and get the most out of your visit, click on this link: http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/beinvolved.htm

Scheduled Patient Admissions

If you are scheduled to be admitted to the hospital, you will be contacted by our Registration staff during the week before your admission to confirm and review your procedure with you. When preparing to come for your admission, please leave all valuables, such as jewelry, cash, checks or credit cards, electronic equipment, etc. at home.

Please make sure to bring the following information with you for your admission:

Photo identification.

Something to verify your address, such as your driver’s license or a utility bill that has been postmarked within the last 30 days. If you cannot show that you live in Los Angeles County, you may not receive non-emergency services unless you have insurance coverage or are able to pay for your care in advance.

All medications that you are currently taking (prescription, over-the-counter, herbal, etc.) so your doctor can review them.

Your completed health care advanced directive form, if you have one. If you do not have one, let the Registration staff know and they can arrange for assistance in creating one.

Unscheduled Visits

If you need to come to Harbor-UCLA Medical Center for an unscheduled visit, such as to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care, please bring some form of photo identification and address verification with you, if possible. For more information about this type of visit, click on this link: http://healthcare411.ahrq.gov/featureAudio.aspx?id=835

Family and friends are an important part of the patient care experience and we encourage you to have family and friends visit you during your stay at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. The hospital’s general visiting hours are 11:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M.., although some unit visiting hours may vary, as listed below. Visitors are limited to two at any one time, unless specific exceptions are authorized by the patient’s provider.

Harbor-UCLA Medical Center is a smoke-free campus for the health and wellness of our patients, staff, and visitors. Smoking is prohibited on the campus, including parking lots.

General Adult Medical-Surgical Wards

Daily visiting hours for the General Adult Medical-Surgical, Step-Down, and Post-Partum Units are 11:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. daily. Exceptions may be granted on an individual basis at the discretion of the Charge Nurse or Nurse Manager on the Unit. Children under the age of 12 years old are permitted to visit patients in these units, but must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times.

Intensive Care Units

Visiting with patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is encouraged. Visitors may visit at any time, but visits are limited to 10 minutes per hour, unless approved otherwise. Visitors may be asked to leave during shift changes. Children under the age of 12 years may visit patients in the ICU at the request of the patient and if they are supervised by an adult.

Visitors may be asked to leave the unit during medical emergencies or procedures involving any patient in the Unit, and/or during clinical rounds or if having visitors will negatively affect the patient’s care. Please check with the ICU staff before entering a patient’s room to make sure the patient is stable to receive visitors.

Pediatric Wards

Parents are encouraged to stay with their hospitalized child and are urged to participate in the care activities under the direction of and at the discretion of the patient’s nurse. Visiting hours for Pediatric inpatients are 24 hours a day for parents and grandparents. One parent or guardian may stay overnight. For all other visitors, visiting is from 10:00 A.M. - 9:00 P.M.

All visitors to Pediatric patients must be approved by the patient’s parents or guardian. The patient’s parent or guardian may identify other visitors who may stay overnight with the patient, as long as that person is over 21 years old and prior arrangements have been made with the nurse. Visitors or siblings under the age of 18 may not stay at the bedside overnight.

Infection Prevention

The safety of patients is our top priority. Visitors should take precautions to prevent the transmission of infection by following these steps:

Visitors who are sick are encouraged to stay home;

Visitors should clean their hands when entering the hospital by washing them or using hand sanitizer gel. Hand sanitizer wipes are located in the lobby;

Wash hands or use hand sanitizer gel prior to and after patient contact;

Cover mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.

Patient Confidentiality

Privacy and confidentiality of our patients’ medical information is of paramount importance. Upon admission, you will be given a copy of our Notice of Privacy Practices, which describes how we handle your personal information. You may request additional measures of confidentiality. If you prefer that your name not be released to people who ask for you by name, you may ask us to delete your name from the hospital directory by informing your nurse or doctor.

Patient Meals

The hospital’s nutrition department is dedicated to serving you healthy and delicious meals. A Nutrition Services representative is available upon request to discuss your food preferences or nutrition concerns during your hospital stay. Please let your nurse know of any food allergies or dislikes as soon as possible so we can best meet your nutritional needs. If you wish to receive food from home, ask your doctor to write a medical order. Visitors must notify your nurse when bringing food from home to ensure that is appropriate for your hospital dietary needs.

Social Work Services

Our Clinical Social Workers are available to help you with the various social and emotional problems that may occur as a result of your hospital stay. They can provide crisis intervention, counseling, education, advocacy and information on community resources. They can also help you cope with grief and loss. Our Medical Case Workers are available to assist you with planning your discharge from the hospital, including providing you with community referrals for placement and other social services. For questions, please contact the Department of Clinical Social Work at (310) 222-3278, Monday - Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.

As a patient you have the right to:

1. Impartial access to available medically indicated treatment, regardless of race, creed, sex, national origin, or sources of payment for care.

2. Considerate and respectful care.

3. Know the name of the physician who has primary responsibility for coordinating your care and the names and professional relationships of other physicians and non-physicians who will see you.

4. Receive information about your illness, the course of treatment and prospects for recovery in terms that you can understand.

5. Receive as much information about any proposed treatment or procedure as you may need in order to give informed consent or to refuse their course of treatment. Except in emergencies, this information shall include a description of the procedure or treatment, the medically significant risks involved in this treatment, alternative courses of treatment or non-treatment and the risks involved in each and to know the name of the person who will carry out the procedure or treatment.

6. Pain management.

7. Reasonable responses to any reasonable requests made for service.

8. Refuse care, treatment, and services.

9. Written information, if you are an adult patient, about your right to accept or refuse medical or surgical treatment including foregoing or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment or withholding resuscitative services.

10. Leave the hospital even against the advice of physicians, except when limited by law.

11. Form advance directives and appoint a person to make health care decisions on their behalf, to the extent permitted by law. The person selected to make the decisions for the patient may be the patient’s guardian, next of kin, or legally authorized responsible person. The legally authorized representative shall have the same rights as the patient if a physician finds the patient to be incompetent and medically incapable of understanding or providing an informed consent to proposed treatments or procedures.

12. Have all Patient Rights apply to the person who may have legal responsibility to make decisions regarding medical care on your behalf.

13. Full consideration of privacy concerning the medical care program. Case discussion, consultation, examination and treatment are confidential and should be conducted discreetly. You have the right to be advised as to the reason for the presence of any individual.

14. Confidential treatment of all communications and records pertaining to your care and your stay in the hospital. Written permission shall be obtained before your medical records may be made available to anyone not directly concerned with the case.

15. Reasonable continuity of care and to know in advance the time and location of an appointment as well as the identity of persons providing their care.

16. Advised if hospital/personal physician proposes to engage in or perform human experimentation affecting your care or treatment. You have the right to refuse to participate in such research projects.

17. Be informed on continuing health care requirements following discharge.

18. Expect reasonable safety in areas controlled by hospital staff.

19. Be free from physical or mental abuse and corporal punishment.

20. Be free from restraints or seclusion of any form, imposed as a means of coercion, discipline, convenience, or retaliation by staff. Restraint or seclusion may only be imposed to ensure the immediate physical safety of the patient, staff member, or others and must be discontinued at the earliest possible time.

21. Examine and receive an explanation of the bill regardless of source of payment.

22. Know which hospital rules and policies apply to patients’ conduct while a patient.

23. A copy of the contents of your their medical record, to the extent permitted by law. Harbor-UCLA Medical Center charges a per page fee for copies of medical records. Patients have the right to duplicate their records after signing a Release of Information form. You also have the right to expect confidential treatment of all communications and records pertaining to their medical care and must give written permission if records are to be made available to anyone not directly concerned with your care.

24. Designate visitors of your choosing, if you have has decision-making capacity, whether or not the visitor is related by blood or marriage.

As a patient at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, you have the responsibilities for:

1. Providing, to the best of your knowledge, accurate and complete information about present complaints, past illnesses, hospitalizations, medications and other matters relating to your health. You have the responsibility to report unexpected changes in your condition to the responsible health care provider.

2. Making known whether you understand contemplated courses of action and what is expected of you.

3. Your actions if treatment is refused or if instructions of the physician are not followed.

4. Following the treatment plan recommended by the health care provider primarily responsible for your care. This includes following instructions of allied health staff as they carry out the plan of care and implement the physician’s orders, and as they enforce applicable hospital rules and regulations.

5. Being considerate for the rights of other patients and hospital personnel and for assisting in the control of noise, smoking and the number of visitors. Patients are responsible for being respectful of the property of other persons and of the hospital.

Need room service? The gift shop is pleased to deliver your order directly to you 7 days a week between 11:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. with a minimum purchase of $5.00.

The Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Office of Pastoral Care provides ministry to people of all faiths and to those with no religious affiliation. The ministry includes Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Islam and other religious representatives.

The Office offers an Interdenominational Service on Sundays and Interfaith Prayer Service on Tuesdays. A chaplain is available 24 hours a day to offer spiritual counseling and emotional support. The hospital chapel serves all faiths and is located on the first floor across from the Gift Shop for patients, families and visitors.

The Office of Pastoral Care is located on the first floor in room 106 next to the chapel. If you would like to see a Rabbi, Priest, or Clergy of any faith, please call (310) 222-2166.

Harbor-UCLA Medical Center is committed to providing you with the best care possible. If you have a concern regarding your care, please contact your nurse or physician. If the concern is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may contact the Patient Relations Department at 310-222-2151 (choose option 6), Monday – Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm. If your call is after business hours, please leave a message and your call will be returned on the next business day. A Patient Relations Representative will make every effort to resolve your concern to your satisfaction.

Visit www.metro.net and use the “trip planner” feature for public transit options.

Hospital parking is limited so plan your visit accordingly. Visitor parking is available in Parking Lot B and Parking Lot C, both adjacent to the hospital main entrance at Carson Street. Also Lot D Parking structure is available and accessible from 220th street. There is emergency room parking available in Parking Lot A, adjacent to the Emergency entry. This lot is accessible from the 220th street entry at Central drive.

During your hospital stay, a Patient Financial Service Worker will be assigned to interview you to obtain insurance information and/or discuss financial programs that are available to cover the cost of your hospital care. For assistance with financial questions after discharge, you may contact: